yes, green and white teas are the least oxidized of the tea family. can boil them fresh. black teas typically take 2 weeks to a month to process oxidation and dried into pellets. black tea is the most popular as found in lipton, earl grey, etc.
Quote from krazykarl:
from about.com:
"Green Tea
* Pluck the very youngest leaves and leaf buds.
* Blot the leaves dry, and let dry in the shade for a few hours.
* Steam the leaves (like you would vegetables) on your stove for about a minute.
* For a different flavour, try roasting them in a skillet for 2 minutes instead of steaming.
* Spread the leaves on a baking sheet and dry in the oven at 250F for 20 minutes.
* Store the dried tea leaves in an air-tight container"
Wow. Intense.
